Representatives: Mr DAVID ADAMS, Mrs GEORGINA MALLIE and Mr BILL SIMPSON

ANGUS COUNCIL

MINUTE of MEETING of the CHILDREN AND LEARNING COMMITTEE held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Tuesday 21 February 2017 at 2.00 pm.

Present: Councillors SHEENA WELSH, LYNNE DEVINE, COLIN BROWN, DAVID FAIRWEATHER, MARTYN GEDDES, SHEILA HANDS, JIM HOUSTON, DAVID MAY, GLENNIS MIDDLETON, DONALD MORRISON, RONNIE PROCTOR MBE, CRAIG FOTHERINGHAM, MARGARET THOMSON and PAUL VALENTINE. Church Representatives: Mr DAVID ADAMS, Mrs GEORGINA MALLIE and Mr BILL SIMPSON.

Teacher Representatives: Mrs ANNA CHEYNE and Mr JOHN PRATTI.

Councillor WELSH, Convener, in the Chair.

1. APOLOGIES/SUBSTITUTES

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Mark Salmond and Ewan Smith, with Councillor Craig Fotheringham substituting for Councillor Salmond.

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Proctor declared an interest in item 7 as he was a lay member of Webster’s High School Parent/Teacher Council and as such he had attended meetings regarding the issue. He indicated that he would participate in any discussion and voting.

3. MINUTES

(a) Previous Meeting

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 10 January 2017 was approved as a correct record and signed by the Convener.

(b) Staffing Sub-Committee

The minute of meeting of the Staffing Sub-Committee of 30 January 2017, a copy of which is appended hereto, was submitted and noted (APPENDIX I);

4. INFORMATION REPORT FOR THE PERIOD 12 DECEMBER 2016 TO 6 FEBRUARY 2017

There was submitted Report No 72/17 by the Strategic Director – Children and Learning providing key information to members with regard to services delivered in the Children and Learning Directorate for the period 12 December 2016 to 6 February 2017.

Having heard from Councillor May regarding the shortage of teachers to particular stem subjects, the Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the content of the Report; and

(ii) that the Convener, on behalf of the Committee, write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills seeking assurances regarding the recruitment and appointment of teachers to stem subjects.

5. PRIMARY SCHOOL CAPACITIES

With reference to Article 5 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 12 April 2016, there was submitted Report No 73/17 by the Strategic Director – Children and Learning providing details of the planning and working capacities, and the projected rolls of primary schools for 2017/18, and seeking approval to extend or remove the caps on the rolls of identified schools. 48

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to approve the roll capping of Timmergreens and Whitehills Primary Schools; and

(ii) to remove the roll cap from Inverbrothock, St Thomas and Woodlands Primary Schools.

6. ARBROATH SCHOOLS PROJECT (PHASES 2 AND 3) APPOINTMENT OF EXTERNAL ADVISORY SERVICES – PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY APPROVAL REQUEST

With reference to Article 14 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 17 May 2017, there was submitted Report No 74/17 by the Strategic Director – Children and Learning seeking procurement authority for the appointment of external advisory services (financial, legal and technical), where the maximum value of each contract may be above the Chief Officer’s delegated limit.

The Committee agreed to authorise the Strategic Director – Children and Learning to procure the appointment of external advisory services (financial, legal and technical) on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender using a 70/30 price/quality split, in accordance with Section 16 of the Council’s Financial Regulations.

7. CAMPUS HEADSHIP OF WEBSTER’S HIGH SCHOOL AND SOUTHMUIR PRIMARY SCHOOL

With reference to Article 10 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 17 May 2016, there was submitted Report No 75/17 by the Strategic Director – Children and Learning summarising the outcomes of a recent formal consultation undertaken in relation to the pilot of an acting Campus Headship of Webster’s High School and Southmuir Primary Schools.

The Report indicated that the pilot of the Campus approach was a new approach taken in Angus and acknowledged that there were a range of views in response to a change of this significance. The children and young people of Webster’s High School and Southmuir Primary School were largely in favour of making the joint campus a permanent arrangement although staff and parents who responded to the survey were less optimistic about this change, with the data gathered from both groups being very small.

The Committee agreed that the Shared Headship of Webster’s High School and Southmuir Primary School be confirmed as a permanent appointment.

At this stage in the meeting, the Convener intimated that as this was the last meeting of the Committee to be held before the Local Government Elections, she wished to thank all members of the Committee and officers for the support which she had received over the past five years. Tributes were also paid to the Strategic Director and her staff for their dedication, hard work and many achievements.

8. EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS

The Committee resolved, in terms of Standing Order 28(2), that the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item so as to avoid the disclosure of information which was exempt in terms of Part 1 of Schedule 7a to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, paragraph 3.

9. SOCIAL WORK COMPLAINTS REVIEW COMMITTEE – COMPLAINT NO ACO/001/2016

There was submitted Report No 76/17 by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services presenting the findings of the meeting of the Social Work Complaints Review Committee in relation to Complaint No ACO/001/2016.

The Committee agreed to approve the recommendations, as detailed in the Report.